Stenotic regions in vessels of a patient can develop for a variety of reasons and can have different adverse effects on the patient. Stenotic regions can occur within multiple vessels of the same organ or can occur as a series of regions within the same vessel. Stenotic regions can be singular or multiple. Depending on the location of a particular stenotic region, the patient can experience cardiac arrest, stroke, or tissue or organ necrosis. The severity of damage to the patient can depend on the nature of the stenotic region and the extent of its development.
Angioplasty is one of several types of medical procedures that have been used to surgically dilate a stenotic region in a vessel. An angioplasty procedure involves the use of a dilatation balloon catheter. The catheter is advanced, using fluoroscopy, over a guidewire so that the catheter's dilatation balloon is positioned within the stenotic region. The dilatation balloon is then inflated to apply radial pressure to the stenotic material and adjacent inner wall portions of the vessel, thereby clearing the stenotic region to enable better blood flow.